By now, most of you have seen the harrowing Tuesday New York Post cover that shows a man hanging off the subway platform seconds before losing his life. Ki Suk Han, 58, was pushed into the track* in the Times Square subway by “a deranged man” on Monday. As he frantically tried to climb back up, he was fatally struck by the downtown Q train.

R. Umar Abbasi is the freelance photographer who captured Han seconds before his death. He is drawing ire for taking the photograph instead of trying to pull Han out of the track. If Abbasi let that man die for a photo opp, his actions underscore an inhumane spectator culture that values capturing information over actually saving lives.

Abbasi claims he was trying to warn the operator by flashing his camera, an explanation many people aren’t buying. Perhaps he’s telling the truth. We may never know for sure that Abbasi passed on an opportunity to save this man’s life for the sake of a photograph, but we do know that the New York Post should have never run this story.

It is an ethic and moral affront to humanity to publish a picture of a man seconds before his death alongside the sensational headline: “DOOMED. Pushed on the subway track, this man is about to die.”

What about the late man’s family who is forced to see an image of their loved one taking his last breath plastered on the cover of a newspaper? It’s disgusting that the New York Post could be so insensitive and heartless.

Did The New York Post go too far with this cover? What are your thoughts, Clutchettes?

*If you are ever pushed into the track on the subway, here’s advice on how to stay alive.

Before I seen the photo I figured, maybe he didn’t want to risk getting hit himself. But after seeing it, it really would not have been a danger to give this man a hand. This is so tragic, and really shows that we as a culture need to look deep inside our ethics.

lulu

um, you and your hair are GORGEOUS.

http://beautifulmindtss.wordpress.com beautifulmind

Thank you! ;)

__A

I couldn’t believe that photo. I’d probably have nightmares for a long time if I had seen the incident. The New York Post was definitely low for doing that. And that photographer, I don’t buy his story. The photographer was not too small to pull that guy up. Did he try? Matt Lauer mentioned that there were 22 seconds between the guy being pushed and hit by the train. 22 seconds! That’s a long enough time. But what about the other people? There were other people around too. In 22 seconds two people couldn’t have helped pull this man up? I don’t know maybe they didn’t know the train was so close and thought there was more time for the man to get off the tracks. It’s just sad.

That photographer is similar to but an extreme case of the people who sit around and film fights. Instead of helping someone or breaking it up, you’re thinking about how you can get money, fame, and Youtube hits from someone else’s pain and misery in this case death.

lulu

“That photographer is similar to but an extreme case of the people who sit around and film fights. Instead of helping someone or breaking it up, you’re thinking about how you can get money, fame, and Youtube hits from someone else’s pain and misery in this case death.”

people are becoming desensitized to dangerous, abnormal behaviour. The fact that the first thing many think of is to film such things for their own personal enjoyment or gain is scary.

lulu

THANK YOU for not posting the picture. I was hoping to avoid it but saw it by mistake. I still regret it so much and my heart goes out to the man’s family and loved ones because they will be confronted by that photo even if they try to avoid it. The people at NYP (do we blame the editor?) are very, very cold-hearted to do this. The man that photographed it that probably SUBMITTED the photo and then goes on TV trying to defend himself can eff off. I hope he’s haunted for the rest of his life by his inaction, same goes for people around that could have done something. Maybe it will spur them to act the next time they see someone that is in danger and in need of help.

The photo being published It reminds me of how 911 audio of the mother of the woman that recently got shot by her boyfriend is all over the news. What is the revelance of playing something like that? I hate that it’s also the norm now for news reporting like it’s so necessary for us to hear people in distress..

There’s even a new show on A&E that’s nothing but REAL 911 calls…it’s absolutely sickening..just why!?!

I’m still stunned that NOONE EVEN TRIED to help him up, succeeding is one thing but not even TRYING. Were they waiting for him to scream for help?!! It’s like everyone wants to stay out of each other’s business as much as they can. It’s sad.